Before I get "devil's advocate" tattooed on my forehead, let me say:
 
a.  I personally don't care what the schools in question do.
b. I realize the Native American community itself is divided on the
 whole issue too, so it's not an "us vs. them" situation, and
c. I also think the issue is a contemptibly convenient one for newspapers
 like the Oregonian and STrib to rally behind.
 
Now then: "Why don't Native Americans view "Sioux" as a term of pride?"
Well, probably because "Sioux" was a term applied to the Lakota Nations by
 French explorers. New Hampshirites are known now and then to call
Bay-Staters "Massholes." Hey, be proud!
 
 
Also, I agree with the philosophy of: why would a school deliberately name
 its teams after a group the school INTENDED to ridicule? But I think the
 opposing view to this is: Sports equal entertainment. Nothing more. Naming
athletic teams after a group, particularly a group which has been shafted
 for 400 years, further trivializes and marginalizes their existence. When
you've been treated as a second-class citizen for so long, and to have
 "mainstream" America say your only value is as an object of
entertainment, it would tend to get to you.
 
As for the Colgate Red Raiders? I'm probably correct in assuming
 that Colgate has more sports than hockey. What do the other Colgate
teams use?
 
GS